My most recent reminder came from my always on the go, story telling, hyper-active, loud, exuberant, and free-spirited youngest child. Strange, right? Actually, its really not when you know him, like really know him, not just the loud and playful part of his personality that everyone sees, but his HEART. He lives life on his terms. He stops to smell the roses, chase the butterflies, and tell stories about what he would do if he was a bird. He notices when people need a hug, when your eyes look sad even when you have a smile on your face, and when you need to laugh so hard you cry. At times, he is hard to handle. I call him my sour patch kid. He can sure be a little rascal, but he always makes up for it because sweetness radiates from his sticky smile and unexpected gentleness escapes from his strong and busy hands.
BUT, back to my point... I feel like I am ALWAYS rushing my little man. His pure heart doesn't quite understand the concept of time or the word hurry. It is not uncommon to take ten minutes to get from the gate at preschool to the car to leave. Yesterday, leaving church was no different. It took us awhile to get out of the building (the semi-easy part), and we were on our way to the car park fairly close to the door when he stopped to stare at the ground. I looked back, admittedly slightly annoyed, and started to ask him to hurry or convince him to race me (whatever works, right?), when I heard God whisper to my heart "Be Still". This time, I listened, I stopped, and looked at my sweet boy. Instead of rushing him, I decided to ask him what he found. He told me all about the "tiny ants" that were in his path. "There are ANTS, mommy! They are so nice. They are tiny ants. They don't want to hurt me. They love me. They aren't like big scary ants that are bad guys. Look mommy, they are going home to their families." I just love how he thinks the whole world loves him. Why wouldn't they? He is amazing. He is special. I went and sat on the ground next to him as we watched the ants, until he saw another bug. "Mom, look at that bug walk crazy! He is SO silly mommy. He must be a baby bug. He is learning to walk like his mommy and daddy. Where is he going mom? Is he looking for his family? Oh no! He is going into the road! The cars might squish him! Mommy can you help him? Awe, he likes you mommy. He is giving your finger a hug!" We stopped for one more bug and story before loading into the car to go home.
He sees the world differently than I do. Why? Because he actually takes the times to be still and look at it. As I was thinking about our exchange on the way home, I couldn't help but to think that those moments, and choices I make in them define my direction as well as his, and ultimately our
peace. I will never look back at that moment and think "I wish I'd have made him hurry!" I look back on it instead and remember his curiosity, his amazing eye for detail, his creative and pure heart, and most of all his ability to really take time to enjoy this world that God gave us.
Mark 4:39 - "When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be Still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was great calm." This passage was found in an account of a terrible storm on the waters as the disciples and Jesus were in a boat. The disciples were scared for their lives as Jesus peacefully slept. They woke him up, kind of angry and bewildered as to why and how he could sleep as they were fighting for survival on the waters. Anxiety and this busy world can feel like a storm. Sometimes it seems like God is no where around when we need Him. However, that is never true! He is always there, we just need to be silent and still, and we need to really look and listen for him to be our calm.
